Why use reference books? Reference books provide you with:
- A springboard to background information on a topic
- Important dates covering the who, what, where, when and why of a topic
for the ‘who, what, when, and how
for the ‘who, what, when, and how
- Important individuals and explanation of terms surrounding a topic
for the ‘who, what, when, and how
Reference resources can also be a good starting point in selecting a research topic. After reviewing reference resources you can develop a plan of where to concentrate your research efforts on topics you want to explore further.
Online Reference Resources (off-campus access requires signing in using your mymsjc user name and password):
- Credo Reference - Credo Reference is an online resource that contains content from 524 reference books covering every major subject.
- Gale eBooks - Gale eBooks is a database of academic eBooks, encyclopedias, and specialized reference sources covering a variety of subject areas.